Latest Update On Iowa Senate Race$Finances$ UpdateAs of June 30, Mike Braley has outspent Joni Ernst 4.4 million to 1.4 million. He has a cash on hand advantage of 2.7 to 1.1 million.Latest Polls:After 4 consecutive polls showing the race tied, Mike Braley has taken the lead the last two. He has a 4 point lead in a Loras College poll that sampled 1200 likely Voters. A cbs poll with a sample of 1764 gives him a 2 point lead. These results are signicant because the samples are large enough to be reasonbly reliable. Polls have also shown Joni Ernst with higher negative ratings by about 5 to 6 percent. This could be refective of the financial edge that Mike Braley has over Ernst. Inspite of the cash advantage his campaign has he is hitting her hard for being backed by the Koch brothers. The Koch brothers are conservative billionares who have contributed money promoting a pro conservative political agenda. They do this though a social welfare group called Americans for Presperity. The Koch brothers did not donate directly to Ernst's campaign, they did spend $500,000 attacking Mike Braley in January. Since then a Democrat super PAC has spent $459,000 attacking Ernst for being "backed" by the Koch brothers.DWB index - Democrat 1.9%Learn More about Joni Ernst Here!Learn More about Mike Braley Here!8-05-14Even in a slightly leaning Democrat state like Iowa, 1.9% Democrat according the DB index, republicans should have a built in advantage because of Obama's low approval ratings. Republican Joni Ernst is in a dead heat with Democrat Mike Braley in a race that could decide the balance of power in the senate.So far Mike Braley has raised 7.1 million and Joni Ernst has raised 2.5 million.